Independence Day, Grill The Right Way!

According to the Weber Grill Watch Survey, it looks like the 4th of July still holds the number one spot as America’s top grilling holiday. An astounding 84% of Americans grill on the 4th of July, followed by 71% on Labor Day, 62% on Memorial Day, and 45% on Father’s Day. So this weekend, impress your guests by not making these common mistakes.

Skip the Nonstick: Spraying a hot grill with a nonstick spray can cause flare-ups in some cases. If you like your eyebrows where they are, try dipping a paper towel in oil and letting it heat up until it is smoking. Then it’s time to get your grill on!

Room Temp is Best: Placing cold meat on a hot grill can lead to a raw interior and a charred exterior. To prevent this from happening, make sure you take out the meat a couple hours prior to cooking it.
Flip Theory: Yes, I am talking about flipping burgers more than once people! Because burgers can be thin it is okay to flip them more frequently, this can also lead them to cook more evenly. Just don’t go too master chef on us and flip them every 10 seconds!

To Baste or Not to Baste: For sweeter sauces and longer-cooking foods, only baste for the last 20 to 30 minutes of grilling. The sugars in the sauce will be less likely to burn and leave a harsh taste in your mouth.

Is It Done Yet…: Put the spatula down and do NOT press down on the meat, or cut it for that matter. You will lose all the juice that you just worked so hard for! Instead, pick up an internal cooking thermometer which will indicate when your meat is cooked to perfection.

Rest Easy: After working so hard to keep all the juices in, don’t go slicing your meat quite yet. Having the meat rest before cutting it allows it to absorb the rest of the juices left in there from the grill. Patience is key to becoming a grill master!